The Filipa Braganca Award Announces Its 2018 Nominees

Gilded Balloon have announced the shortlist for the 2018 Filipa Bragança Award, named in honour of the critically-acclaimed and award-winning young actor and activist who died in 2016. This year, the nominees are as follows:

Aoife Lennon in Killymuck
Samara MacLaren in Ailsa Benson is Missing
Marieke Dermul in European Citizen Popsong
Emma Dennis-Edwards in Power Play: Funeral Flowers
Koko Brown in White
Lauren Hendry in Tetra-Decathlon

Now in its second year, the judging panel is comprised of esteemed national theatre critics and arts writers, including Joyce McMillan, Jackie McGlone, Thom Dibdin, Tim Cornwell and Mark Fisher, all returning from last year. Playwright Henry Naylor, who wrote the Fringe First-winning Echoes in 2015 and Angel in 2016, both of which starred the late Filipa Bragança, joins them on the panel for the 2018 Fringe.

Bragança, who starred in Henry Naylor's critically-acclaimed and award-winning productions of Echoes (2015) and Angel (2016), was revered for her outstanding work both off- and onstage, as well as for the enormous impact of her life and career. In her name, The Filipa Bragança Award endeavours to honour her legacy in the performing arts.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe productions registered in the theatre genre and featuring a solo performance by an emerging female artist were automatically eligible for consideration for the Award. As many productions as possible were assessed by the judging panel and Award organisers until the shortlist was defined.

The winner of The Filipa Bragança Award will be announced during the final Scotsman Fringe First Awards, which will take place from 10am, on Friday 24th August at the Pleasance Beyond.

Katy and Karen Koren, Directors of Gilded Balloon, said: "Filipa remains extremely close to our hearts, and we are so happy to see the Award continue in her name. Working alongside such an inspiring and thoughtful panel of judges has been delightful, and we couldn't be happier with the shortlist, which we believe reflects the thematic diversity of this year's Fringe - we cannot wait to announce the winner tomorrow!"